Closure or cover for pocket-books



(No Model.)

0. A. LEHMAN. CLOSURE 0R COVER FOR POGKIETBOOKS. No. 489,710. PatentedJan lo, 1893.

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w: NORRIS PETERS co, PHOYO-LiTHO., WASHINGTON, Dv c wrrnn h'ra'rns 'i"tries,

OTTO A. LEHMAN, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

CLOSURE OR COVER FOR POCKET-=BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,710, dated January10, 1893.

Application filed October 1, 1892- Serial 'No. 447,477. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, OTTO A. LEHMAN, of Hoboken, in the county of Hudsonand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCovers or Closures for Pocket-Books, Bags, and Satchels, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in covers or closures forpocketbooks,bags and satchels in which provision is made for crowdin g acoin or other comparatively slender article between the yieldingsections of the cover or closure which automatically, after the i11-sertion of the article, closes and remains normally in closedadjustment.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 denotes a pocketbook as it appears from the exterior, Fig. 2 isa view of its cover in perspective, showing a coin partially insertedbetween two yielding sections, Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the cover,showing the same partially broken away to disclose the actuating springsand guides for the yielding sections, Fig. 4: is a transverse sectionthrough the cover and yielding sections, and Fig. 5 is a cross section,showing a modified shape of yielding bars or sections.

In the form which I have chosen to illustrate my invention, the top ofthe flexible bag or purse A is secured to a frame B of oblongrectangular form and the cover 0 is hinged, as at D, to one side of theframe and provided with a catch to engage a spring actuated latch I) setin the edge of the frame, as is common.

The cover 0 consists of a rigid frame 0 forming the sides and ends andone or more movable central sections 0' mounted in the rigid frame 0 soas to be capable of being pushed to one side to form the opening for theinsertion of a coin or other slender article through the cover into thepurse without uncatching the cover. In the present instance, I haveshown a group of several narrow bars 0 extending from end to end of thecover and loosely mounted at their ends in the hollow ends of the coverso as to be freely moved in a direction transverse to their length. Ihave also provided the sides of the cover with hollow faces adapted toreceive the bars 0 as they are moved laterally and I have shown thesides of such a depth as to be sufficient to house two of said bars 0'when they are slid laterally therein. This, however, is a matter ofchoice as the sides might be made shallower or deeper at pleasurewithout departing from the spirit of my invention. The bars 0 arepressed toward one another and toward the center of the cover by meansof springs, shown in the present instance as bar springs E, E insertedin the hollow sides of the cover, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

The housing of the ends of the bars 0' in the ends of the cover will besufficient to hold them in position but, for the purpose of renderingtheir movements regular and prevent- .ing them from rotating, I haveinserted small guide rods 6 through perforations in the ends of the barsand have located said guide rods within the hollow ends of the cover.

When the cover is closed and it is desired to insert a coin or otherarticle through the cover into the purse or bag without releasing thecover, they may be readily slipped through between the bars 0' thelatter, because of their inclined faces 0 readily yielding under theinward pressure of the coin or other article to be inserted. As soon asthe article has been inserted, the bars will promptly return under thepressure of their springs into contact with one another and thereby forma complete closure.

The bars 0 may be made flat on their under sides, as shown at 0 Fig. 4,to prevent the crowding of the bars apart from the interior of thepurse, or they may be made cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 5.

Aside from its utility as a means of readily storing change or othersmall articles without opening the purse and the consequentliability ofits contents becoming unintentionally lost, the yielding bar sectionspresent an attractive appearance.

What I claim is:

1. The cover or closure for a purse, bag or satchel having a pluralityof laterally movable tubular bars mounted therein and springs tending tohold the bars together to form a closure and at the same time permittingthe separation of the bars to form an opening, substantially as setforth.

2. A cover or closure for a purse, bag or satchel consisting of a rigidframe section provided along its opposite sides with housin gs for thereception of movable bar sections, movable bar sections mounted in therigid frame section in position to be crowded into the housings upon theopposite sides of the rigid section and springs tending to hold themovable sections in engagement with one another to form the closure andat the same time permitting them to separate to form an opening,substantially as set forth.

3. The purse, bag or satchel cover consisting of a rigid frame section,movable sections mounted in the rigid frame section and provided withoblique faces on their upper sides and flattened faces on their lowersides and springs tending to hold the movable sections in engagementwith one another to form the closure and at the same time permittingthem to separate to form an opening, substantially as set forth.

4. The purse, bag or satchel cover consisting of a rigid frame section,oblique faced movable sections mounted therein, guides for said movablesections and springs for actuatin g the sections, substantially as setforth.

OTTO A. LEI-IMAN.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, Gnonen BARRY.

